Barrington Stage Company

Barrington Stage Company is a professional regional theatre company located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, founded in 1995 by Julianne Boyd, a renowned theatre director and producer, who has worked with New York City-based companies such as the Public Theater and the Roundabout Theatre Company. The company has produced numerous plays and musicals, including works by William Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, and Stephen Sondheim, in collaboration with Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres like the Vineyard Theatre and the Manhattan Theatre Club. With a focus on developing new works, the company has premiered plays by Christopher Demos-Brown, Mark St. Germain, and Kenny Finkle, among others, and has partnered with organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The company's productions have featured actors such as Harriet Harris, Rhea Perlman, and Christopher Innvar, who have performed on stages like the Guthrie Theater and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

● History

The company was founded in 1995 by Julianne Boyd, who served as the company's artistic director, with a mission to produce high-quality, professional theatre in the Berkshire Mountains region, an area known for its rich cultural heritage and home to institutions like the Tanglewood Music Center and the Clark Art Institute. The company's early productions were staged at the Consolidated School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, before moving to its current venue, the Mainstage, located in the heart of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, near the Berkshire Museum and the Colonial Theatre. Over the years, the company has grown to become one of the largest and most respected regional theatres in the United States, with a reputation for producing innovative and engaging works, often in collaboration with companies like the Huntington Theatre Company and the Center Stage. The company has also hosted numerous workshops and readings, featuring plays by Emerging playwrights like Lauren Gunderson and Martyna Majok, and has partnered with organizations like the Playwrights' Center and the Dramatists Guild of America.

● Productions

The company has produced a wide range of plays and musicals, including classics like A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Glass Menagerie, as well as contemporary works like The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and On the Town, which have been performed at venues like the Delacorte Theater and the New York City Center. The company has also premiered numerous new works, including The Best of Enemies by Mark St. Germain, which was later produced at the George Street Playhouse and the Florida Studio Theatre, and Dancing Lessons by Mark St. Germain, which was produced in association with the George Street Playhouse and the Alliance Theatre. The company's productions have featured actors like Bebe Neuwirth, Jeff McCarthy, and Elizabeth Stanley, who have performed on stages like the Broadway Theatre and the Kennedy Center. The company has also collaborated with other theatres, such as the Westport Country Playhouse and the Hartford Stage, to produce co-productions like The Chosen and The Diary of Anne Frank, which have been performed at venues like the Long Wharf Theatre and the Asolo Repertory Theatre.

● Venue

The company's main venue is the Mainstage, a 520-seat theatre located in the heart of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, near the Berkshire Athenaeum and the Pittsfield Common. The theatre features a proscenium arch stage and a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, designed by companies like Sound Associates and Lighting & Sound America. The company also produces shows at the St. Germain Stage, a smaller, more intimate venue located in the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, which has hosted productions like The Whipping Man and Benefit of Doubt, featuring actors like Graham Rowat and Debra Jo Rupp. The company has also performed at other venues in the Berkshire Mountains region, including the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center and the Clark Art Institute, which have hosted events like the Berkshire Theatre Festival and the Tanglewood Music Festival.

● Education_and_Outreach

The company offers a range of education and outreach programs, including acting classes and workshops for adults and children, taught by instructors like Julianne Boyd and Christopher Innvar, who have worked with organizations like the Lincoln Center Theater and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. The company also offers internships and apprenticeships for students and young professionals, in partnership with institutions like the Yale School of Drama and the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. The company's outreach programs include play readings and talkbacks with local community groups, such as the Pittsfield Community Television and the Berkshire Community College, and have been supported by organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The company has also partnered with local schools to develop curriculum-based programs and residencies, featuring artists like Kenny Finkle and Mark St. Germain, who have worked with schools like the Pittsfield High School and the Miss Hall's School.

● Awards_and_Recognition

The company has received numerous awards and nominations for its productions, including several Elliot Norton Awards and Irne Awards, which recognize excellence in Boston-area theatre, and have been awarded to companies like the American Repertory Theater and the Huntington Theatre Company. The company's productions have also been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which have provided funding for productions like The Best of Enemies and Dancing Lessons. The company's artistic director, Julianne Boyd, has received numerous awards for her direction and production work, including the 2016 Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Director, and has been recognized by organizations like the Theatre Communications Group and the League of Professional Theatre Women.

● Artistic_Direction

The company's artistic director, Julianne Boyd, has been at the helm of the company since its founding in 1995, and has directed numerous productions for the company, including The Glass Menagerie and A Midsummer Night's Dream, which have featured actors like Harriet Harris and Rhea Perlman. Under her leadership, the company has developed a reputation for producing high-quality, innovative theatre, and has become a leader in the regional theatre movement, with partnerships with companies like the Center Stage and the Guthrie Theater. The company's associate artistic director, Joe Calarco, has also directed numerous productions for the company, including The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and On the Town, which have been performed at venues like the Delacorte Theater and the New York City Center. The company's artistic team also includes literary manager Jessica Provenz, who has worked with playwrights like Lauren Gunderson and Martyna Majok, and production manager Michael Kevin Walsh, who has worked with companies like the Public Theater and the Roundabout Theatre Company.